Initially formed to address Auckland Council's decision to deny a venue to Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux, the Free Speech Coalition fights against new threats to free speech have emerged that require urgent attention.

In August 2018, Massey University’s Vice-Chancellor cancelled an event with Dr Don Brash based on ‘security’ concerns, while internal emails revealed her motivation to be political.

In the wake of the tragic Christchurch mosque attacks, the Chief Censor has blocked New Zealanders from legally reading the attacker’s manifesto, despite the widespread desire and need to understand the motivations behind evil and the Ministry of Justice is undertaking a review of the current adequacy of 'hate speech' laws in New Zealand.

We need your help.

The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.

When authorities capitulate to thugs who threaten events with violence, they embolden others who seek to restrict speech via the “thugs’ veto”.

And since the Christchurch attacks, New Zealand’s political environment is especially vulnerable to reflexive and ill-considered restrictions on rights, including freedom of speech.

These restrictions should be unacceptable in a society that values free speech and the open exchange of ideas.

What's new?

It took about one year but we got our two days in court. The judge heard our case against Auckland Council and they put up their best defence, as they should. Now we wait for a decision, expected by the end of the year.

The arguments were submitted in writing before they were presented to the judge in person, but they were able to be challenged and refined through questions from His Honour. While it was difficult to hear the words of my affidavit selectively used and abused by lawyers for Auckland Council, I understand their job is to give their client the best defence. And that they did, just as our lawyers presented our case in a convincing manner.

There is reason to be nervous about a new strategy for the Broadcasting Standards Authority to focus on “harm” when administering the codes. The new strategy is being developed in tandem with a government review of the legal approach to “hate”. “Hate” is like “harm” - a word that people will seek to define for their own purposes.